Around the NFL: Philip Rivers Pulls Out, Stafford Mum on Future, Rodgers Return? More ...Middle East

Philip Rivers is no longer in the mix for the Buffalo Bills’ head-coaching vacancy.

Phillip Rivers Pulls Out of Bills Coaching Search

According to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo (via X), Rivers has withdrawn his name from consideration just days after interviewing with the Bills, who fired Sean McDermott following a 33-30 divisional-round loss to the Denver Broncos. The former Chargers and Colts quarterback, now 44, intrigued Buffalo as a high-upside, outside-the-box candidate — but ultimately decided the timing wasn’t right.

Rivers has never coached at the NFL level, and while he acknowledged earlier this month that he believes he could handle the job, his comments always carried a different undertone. Rivers has been heavily involved in coaching his son, Gunner, at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama.

Buffalo’s search rolls on. Before speaking with Rivers, the Bills interviewed offensive coordinator Joe Brady, former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, and Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Anthony Lynn, Anthony Weaver, and Grant Udinski have also met with the team as the Bills continue casting a wide net.

Rivers’ name still carries weight around the league. Drafted fourth overall in 2004, he spent 16 seasons with the Chargers before finishing his career in Indianapolis. After retiring following the 2020 season, Rivers made a brief and unexpected return five years later, starting three games for the Colts after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Rivers threw for 544 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions before being benched in favor of rookie Riley Leonard.

For now, Rivers is stepping away from the NFL sidelines, and Buffalo continues its search for the coach tasked with getting the Bills over their postseason hump.

Sean McVay on Matthew Stafford’s Future

Sean McVay wasn’t interested in hypotheticals — especially not minutes after his season ended.

"If he still wants to play, what the hell kind of question is that." Sean McVay on if Matthew Stafford is returning next season ? pic.twitter.com/XNRyA4pkdE

Following the Los Angeles Rams’ 31–27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, McVay bristled when asked whether he expected Matthew Stafford to return for an 18th NFL season. The Rams head coach, already visibly frustrated, responded with a sharp defense of his quarterback.

“Yeah. I mean, if he still wants to play, what the hell kind of question is that?” McVay said. “I know that if he wants to, he’s still playing at a pretty damn good clip. I mean, he’s the MVP of the league, and if he’s not … I got respect for everybody else, but this guy played at a level that’s just different.”

Stafford, meanwhile, wasn’t ready to go down that road.

Matthew Stafford wasn’t ready to talk about the failed third and fourth down plays late in the game or his future after losing in the NFC Championship Game. pic.twitter.com/mj1qaXnWtA

“I can’t generalize six months of my life 10 minutes after a loss,” Stafford said when asked about his future.

The loss ended a season in which Stafford played some of the best football of his career. During the regular season, he posted MVP-caliber numbers: 4,707 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a 109.2 passer rating, anchoring one of the league’s most explosive offenses.

Whether Stafford ultimately decides to return remains unanswered. What was clear on Sunday night was how strongly McVay feels about the quarterback at the center of his program — and how raw the moment still was after coming one win short of the Super Bowl.

Mike McCarthy’s Arrival Keeps the Door Open for Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t hire Mike McCarthy to lure Aaron Rodgers back for another season — but the move certainly doesn’t hurt their chances.

Steelers president and owner Art Rooney II acknowledged as much Sunday, saying the organization has “left the door open” for Rodgers to return in 2026, even if the quarterback’s future wasn’t a driving factor in the decision to hire McCarthy.

“We don’t know what Aaron’s plans are right now, and that did not weigh heavily in the decision (to hire McCarthy),” Rooney told Steelers.com. “We’ll see where Aaron is, and we’ve left the door open, but obviously, we all have to sit down and see if that makes sense. … The decision was made based on Mike being the coach we want, and it really had very little to do with whether Aaron is going to be back or not.”

Still, the reunion angle is impossible to ignore. Rodgers spent some of the best years of his career under McCarthy in Green Bay, and Pittsburgh’s current quarterback landscape makes continuity — even temporary — appealing.

That uncertainty of the 2026 NFL Draft quarterback class makes Rodgers an increasingly logical bridge option. Pittsburgh could use him to buy time until the 2027 quarterback class, or to allow young passers like 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard — whom Rodgers mentored last season — or a future rookie to develop without being rushed. The Steelers’ current room also includes Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, but neither is a long-term solution.

Rodgers, for his part, hasn’t closed the door.

"I'm not going to make any emotional decisions."–Aaron Rodgers when asked about his future. pic.twitter.com/3gU7HNNVC1

“Obviously, I’m 42 years old, and I’m on a one-year deal, so you know what the situation is,” Rodgers said ahead of the regular-season finale (via ESPN on X). “Whenever the season ends, I’ll be a free agent, so that will give me a lot of options, if I still want to play … I mean, not a lot of options, but there’ll be options, I would think maybe one or two if I decide I still want to play.”

Extra Points

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